La Resistència

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What we learned from our history schoolbooks, or 'Allo 'Allo!, is that in order to have a strong defence, we need strong allies. A case in point was René, the waiter in a restaurant in occupied France, who hid allies under his grandmother's bed. In modern-day Barcelona, La Resistència is a beer bar fighting to make a difference with its 12 taps. So maybe that's a bit less heroic than launching an attack on the man with the little moustache, but it's definitely more palatable.

Sergi and David, the pair at your service behind the counter, are a couple of beer gourmets. David also owns Rosses i Torrades, and is one of the lucky ones who gets paid for doing what he loves, and he's at it all day long. In the morning, he's in the shop, and the rest of the day he's serving craft beer on tap in the bar.

Hops, sweet hopsWith a sign even the short-sighted can't miss, the duo opened this brewery that also serves a few tapas to accompany their malts, hops and other brews. You'll find a nice list of cheeses and cold cuts to go with sourdough bread, consistent with the elegance of their beers .

A standout tapa is the 'mojama' tuna with almonds, which they say is a tribute to a former brewery in the neighbourhood, La Bohèmia. In a short time, the place already has a loyal clientele of beer lovers who have made the pilgrimage after years of suffering and loneliness. Until recently, if you wanted to try top craft beers, you had to do it alone at home, or emigrate. The bad luck is over. For a little more than the price of a pasteurized supermarket beer, you can savour pints and glasses of local brews, and even some from faraway lands.

I sampled one from Navarra, the Napar Pils, which was light and elegant. My drinking companion opted for a Hardcore Ipa from the collection of Scottish BrewDog Beer. Among the dozens of beers to choose from, Jazz Beer, brewed in Tarragona, is recommended for hops lovers. Let's all raise our mugs and shout (French accent optional) – 'Resistència!' – and get stuck in till you're smiling behind a foam moustache